The Drama Triangle and the 5 layers of neurosis.

The roles we play.

Ever notice how we sometimes play roles in our relationships without realising it? That's where the intersection of Karpman’s Drama Triangle and Perls’ 5 Layers of Neurosis comes into play.

In Karpman’s Drama Triangle, we get caught up in one of three roles: Victim, Rescuer, or Persecutor. These roles can trap us in cycles of conflict, miscommunication, and emotional drama. And here’s where it connects with Perls’ model of self.

Perls describes the ‘phony’ layers we build around our true self as ways of avoiding deeper vulnerability. The outermost layers—like the ‘cliché’ layer, where we communicate superficially, or the ‘role-playing’ layer, where we act out the expectations of others—mirror the roles we adopt in the Drama Triangle.

Think about it: When we act as a Victim, we might be playing into a learned helplessness, a façade to avoid our real fears. As a Rescuer, we might step in, not out of genuine care, but to avoid our own pain. And when we play the Persecutor, we might be masking our insecurities, covering them up with aggression or control.

Each role, each outer layer, distances us from our authentic self—our core. And the longer we stay in these phony layers, the harder it becomes to access deeper, genuine connections with ourselves and others.

The path to breaking free from the Drama Triangle? It’s the same path Gestalt therapy shows us: moving through the layers, peeling back the ‘phony’ to reach the authentic self, and embracing responsibility for our own feelings.

So, the next time you catch yourself slipping into a role, try asking yourself: “Am I acting from a place of authenticity, or am I hiding behind a mask?”

The Drama Triangle.

The 5 Layer Model.